Post Op today, List of Questions

[Jen]

So I am going in for my post op and I am working on a list of questions to take in with me and I was wondering if you ladies had any suggestions of things to add to my list that I might have spaced out on, or possibly this maybe be a help for others with the same question. If you want copy paste the following questions and help answer them for me and I can compare it to what my PS says. . hee hee. . . thanks for any suggestions you may have and please let me know if I have forgotten anything, I just want to make sure I have it all clear in my head.. . you ladies are the greatest.

My Questions-Post Op 7 days out


How much longer will it take for new bruises to appear? Is it normal that new bruises are appearing? Are there any colors, shapes, lenght of apperance that I should be concerned about?

Is it normal for one breast to descend before the other?

What is the post-op schedule? 3 months, 6 months, 1 year?

Will the nipples return to somewhat normal position once the swelling goes down? When does the extended swelling (seemingly poofy) nipples go down?

How confining of a sports bra must I wear and for how long?

It is normal for the area around your sternum to be "tight"? And ribs to be sore?

How long does it take the stitching area to heal (close up)?

How long before it is safe for me to I go swimming, take baths?

How long before I can start massaging the skin with lotions? Are there any that you would recommend or that your other patients have had more success with? Any which chemicals we should avoid? How many times a day should I massage them?

When can you start exercising, __________cardio, _________light weight training, _________running, ________horse back riding? (What is the average time before I can go back to lifting things over 5lbs?)

How long before the implants start to become softer?

Is the squishy sound normal? When does it go away, should I expect any new noises?

Are the surges of pain normal?

Is it bad to flex my pec muscles?

Are there any issues that I should keep an eye out for? (besides differential swelling, heat, puffyness?) Complications that could arise a couple months out that I need to keep an eye out for?

When is a good time to get properly sized for bras?


okay ladies. . thank you, and again if there are any questions you wish you would have asked at your post op and didn't let me know those too.

[Jiggle]

I just wanted to note that those are all excellent PRE-OP questions as well. Since some of the answers may be different with different PSs.

Thanks for the list!

[Victoria]

Awesome job here. Great list for others as well. The only other thing not included here that I asked about was pain killers, when can I take Ibuprophen, and vitamin E. What were my PS's thoughts on vitamin E preventing CC.

[Slinky]

Great list! I think you've got it covered. Have a good post-op!


Annie

[Jen]

How much longer will it take for new bruises to appear? Is it normal that new bruises are appearing? Are there any colors, shapes, length of appearance that I should be concerned about? bruising is normal, unless they take more than three weeks to heal they are not an issue

Is it normal for one breast to descend before the other? Completely due to muscle definition, dominant verses undominant

What is the post-op schedule? 3 months, 6 months, 1 year? one week, three weeks, then six weeks, but I can feel free to come in if I ever have a question concern/issue for the life of my implants

Will the nipples return to somewhat normal position once the swelling goes down? When does the extended swelling (seemingly poofy) nipples go down? Yes the nipples will eventually stop looking like the goodyear blimp my phrase not his when the swelling underneath goes down

How confining of a sports bra must I wear and for how long? He would like for me to wear a sports bra at least for the next four weeks, but I can go a couple hours to take a break when I need to and as long as I have on something that supports the girls that would be fine but no underwires for at least 6 months

It is normal for the area around your sternum to be "tight"? And ribs to be sore? Very much so, there was a lot of pulling during the surgery and pressure on both areas

How long does it take the stitching area to heal (close up)? I have dissolving stitches and I can take the steri strips off whenever I would like to do so or I can wait for them to come off on their own, I just might have to pull or clip the loose ends

How long before it is safe for me to I go swimming, take baths? Baths are fine now, it will not hurt to submerge the girls, but hold off on swimming for at least another three weeks, we will re-evaluate this at our next post op

How long before I can start massaging the skin with lotions? Are there any that you would recommend or that your other patients have had more success with? Any which chemicals we should avoid? How many times a day should I massage them? Hold off on massaging at this time, at least any deep tissue type massaging I don't need to push them somewhere they don't naturally need to go but if there is tightness it is okay to do superficial massaging to releive tension

When can you start exercising, in a sports bra in about one more week cardio, nothing more than 5-8 lbs for the next two weeks, after that I can move up to about 8-12lbs range of motion exercising is great though light weight training, Wear a sports bra and try out to see how I feel running, that is a no go for at least 6-8 more weeks, light riding will be okay but nothing at a jog/canter/loop for 10-14 weeks horse back riding?

How long before the implants start to become softer?Differs for each person it could take up to a year for complete softness but things will get softer and softer each day.

Is the squishy sound normal? When does it go away, should I expect any new noises?completely, sometimes air pockets get under the implant and that is just them moving around, squishing also lets me know that the scar tissue hasn't attached itself to the implant so in a way squishy is good.

Are the surges of pain normal? yes, as nerves begin to regain function they begin sending signals from the affected site as a "test" so although shocking nothing to be alarmed by.

Is it bad to flex my pec muscles?Not at all, it is good to flex them in range of motion exercises but not in weight lifting

Are there any issues that I should keep an eye out for? (besides differential swelling, heat, puffyness?) Complications that could arise a couple months out that I need to keep an eye out for? pain going above a 3-4 at this point, small hard rock like feelings, complete numbness in an area that has recently regained sensation

When is a good time to get properly sized for bras? the best time will be about 6 months out, when swelling has gone down for the most part and fluffing has pretty much come to completion

hope these help you as much as they have helped me.

[britney]

thanks for your great list, i will take it tomorrow to my post op

[jayne]

I think you covered just about everything hun good on ya x